That’s the headline we want to
see when we wake up on the day after the vote on Motion 312 –
Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth’s attempt to turn back the
clock on women’s rights by giving them to fetuses instead.

** The second hour of debate on M312 is scheduled for
Sept 21, and the vote for Sept 26**

After the surprisingly
successful debate on April 26 in which Motion 312 was thoroughly
smacked
down by MPs from three parties (including a the
Conservative MP), we know the motion will almost certainly be
defeated. But
we’ve got the Conservatives in a weak spot right now – they’re
afraid of the abortion issue because they know it hurts them.
Let’s capitalize on that by sending a strong message to the
Conservative government that the pro-choice and women’s
movements are strong, loud and proud! We’ve got the ovaries
to deliver a crushing defeat to Woodworth and his motion,
which could strongly
discourage the introduction of future bills or motions and demoralize the
anti-choice movement. As
journalist Chantal Hébert
wrote
in
May after the first debate:

“A
defeat this time — at the hands of the most
socially-conservative friendly majority government in
decades — would be a crushing blow to the anti-abortion
cause. It could be construed as its biggest setback since
the Supreme Court ruling.”

ARCC is shooting for less than 50 Yes votes
for Motion 312, which would be a record low for any
anti-choice motion or bill. The last anti-choice bill in 2010
(C-510 “coerced abortion”) garnered 95 votes.

We
need as many signatures as possible on our paper
petition. We will become
stronger and stronger if pro-choice MPs present a constant
stream of petitions in the days leading up to the vote. Please print out
copies and gather as many original signatures as you can. Mail
the sheets to Niki
Ashton, Member of Parliament, House of Commons, Ottawa
ON K1A
0A6
(not to ARCC). (Note: The petition is on
legal size paper 11x14, or you can shrink to letter size 8-1/2
x 11 for printing.)

2.3.
Target anti-choice MPs

We want to overwhelm anti-choice MPs
and those with an unknown stance with emails, faxes, letters,
and phone calls from pro-choice and women’s rights
supporters, urging them to vote No on the
motion. Please send them our sample
letter, written just for anti-choice MPs, or write
one of your own. Or phone them if you prefer. We’ve
created a full
contact
list for all 108 anti-choice MPs
and 55 with an
unknown stance, including phone, fax, email, and mailing
address for each. (No postage is required.) We even have email lists that are ready to
cut and paste into your email program, so you can send your
letter to all MPs at once.

Those are the two top priorities
– but if you can, there’s more to be done! Please keep
reading…

3.4. Contact your own
MP

We
know that pro-choice MPs are on our side, but will they show up to
vote No? A
strong No vote by pro-choice MPs is important not only to help
ensure the motion fails, but to widen the gap as much as
possible between the No and Yes votes. Even if you’ve already
contacted your MP, please consider doing so again, perhaps in
a different way. You can:

Visit their local constituency
office. To look up the address, check
this
list.

4.5.
Organize or participate in an event

The fabulous Radical Handmaids (website, Facebook page) will be doing street actions in Ottawa around the
time of the 2nd hour of debate and the vote in September. (get
your photo taken in front of the Wall of Wombs!). If you can’t get
to Ottawa, you could host a small event in your own city, perhaps
outside an anti-choice MP’s constituency office – wearing a
Radical Handmaid’s costume! Or, knit a womb or vulva and send it
to Ottawa or to your anti-choice MP. Check ARCC’s Action Alert
page for links to costume patterns and womb/vulva
patterns, and where to send your finished products. You can also
join the Womb
Swarm ParliamentFacebook
page.

6. Finally, our online
petitionis still active and growing. Although not ‘official’ we will send it to Ottawa
just prior to the vote, and do more publicity around it. Please
sign if you haven't already!

Thank
you everyone!

Together
we will Crush Motion 312 and send it back to the hell hole
it came from. Yes we can!

Please
support ARCC in its work by becoming a member or
making a donation! We receive no government funding, and
because we are a political group and cannot issue charitable
tax receipts, fundraising can be especially difficult. To join or donate, simply print, complete and mail
this membership
form. Or you can use PayPal by clicking on the 'Make a
Donation' button on our homepage.
Thank you!